Tidal Pools, ... An Amazing Microcosm

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What a busy day this Friday has turned out to be. We drove into some of the down town areas of San Diego, past “Midway Drive” and “Nimitz Blvd.” That was really cool.


Following lunch, we drove through Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery on our way to the Pacific Tide Pools. A burial ground before 1847, this graveyard became an army post cemetery in the 1860’s. It is the final resting place for over 50,000 U.S. servicemen who have served honourably in war and peace. Geographically, this cemetery is located on a narrow spit of land between the Pacific Ocean and the Bay of San Diego. It is one of the most popular cemeteries in the United States because of the beautiful views over the ocean and bay. So many people want Fort Rosecrans to be their final resting place that there is now only room for cremation urns.


The tide pools were amazing! We arrived at the shore just before absolute low tide and walked down the pathway to the rocky intertidal zone of the Cabrillo National Monument. The plants and animals that live in the area are too numerous to list, and some of them are not even visible to the naked eye. We had a wonderful time for several hours walking carefully as we explored the slippery rocks and pools of water that were filled with marine life stranded until next high tide.


We were able to identify several kinds of seaweed washed up on the shore. Nathanael enjoyed stringing them side-by-side and stepping on the water-logged ones to make them go splat. Some we could name were Giant Kelp, Sargassum Weed, and Surf Grass.


We could easily recognize the Goose-Necked Barnicles and the California Mussels attached to the sides of the cliff. Nathanael found several shore crabs hiding among the rocks and in the pools. He captured a hermit crab with his bare hands and we caught a video of him releasing it onto the rocks. He tried to catch some crawfish but was unsuccessful. Our favourite animal was the sea anemone. This round, feathery creature floated gracefully when under the water. It was slightly tacky to the touch and if you brushed it ever so lightly, the wispy tentacles closed in on themselves, towards the centre of the animal. There were many different sizes of anemones, most of them grey in colour, but a few that were red.


One particularly fun thing we got to see were several young lads in wet-suits trying to “catch some waves.” Even though it was still early in the season and the surf was not really high, there were still enough white caps to make it worth the effort, especially once the tide started to come back in. I was glad Nathanael got to see one of the activities for which California is so widely known. We even took a video so we could look back on this day when we are at home, buried under waves of snow!!!


One final picture of Nathanael along the Pacific coast, and we were off to our next site. Stay tuned for our tour of the Point Loma Lighthouse and Cabrillo National Monument.

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Photos

Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery
Headstones, row on row. As with all military cemeteries, the grounds are well tended.

Beautiful Views
A final resting place that offers a peaceful setting for loved ones left behind.

Diana and Nathanael
Looking forward to exploring the tidal pools on the shore line behind us. The day was windy so we dressed for warmth.

Plants Along the Shore
These lovely little flowers remind me of portulaca, a drought resistant plant that I like to use in my rock garden at home.

A Rugged Shore
When the tide is out, this is what the shore line looks like. It is almost always slippery and the boulders are very uneven.

Climbing Down to the Tidal Pool
Many people scramble down the path to wander over the rocks and ledges of the tidal pool. It is a marvelous learning experience.

Giant Kelp
Here Nathanael is holding a piece of Giant Kelp. He wasn't too impressed with the suggestion of drying it out to eat.

A Pot Pool
The tidal shelves are filled with these pot- or bowl-shaped pools. They are teeming with marine life and smooth pebbles washed in with the tide.

Shore Crab
Here is a shore crab peeking out of a crevice in the rock. We found several scurrying here and there, trying to keep out of human reach.

Goose-Necked Barnacles
We enjoyed identifying the different shelled creatures that nestled among the rocks. Here are Goose-Necked Barnacles firmly attached to the rock they call their home.

Sea Anemone
It was fun playing with the sea anemones, watching them react to being gently touched with a finger. We even got a video of one.

California Surfing
How cool is that! The water was cold so these guys were wearing wet-suits. Personally, I would rather surf into a sandy beach than a rocky shore!

A Wonderful Experience
Saying goodbye to the tidal pool, Nathanael poses along the shore as the tide begins to come in. We actually got our feet wet before making it back to the path that climbs up the cliff.